I spent yesterday looking for my youngest cat,
Sparkle. She's been missing for three days. I walked around the
neighborhood calling her name. I rode my bike along the wall adjacent to my home that supposedly blocks us from the busy highway. I was hoping not to find a tiny crushed body. I got my wish. I didn't find her.
I went to the local
humane society. They are no longer accepting cats. I looked at three rooms of cages crammed full with felines. Young ones, old ones. Short haired or fluffy. All very
scared.
Tangent: I cannot stress how important it is to
spay or
neuter your pets. There's an overabundance, an overpopulation. Where I live is an
urban jungle. You may think they can fend for themselves, some can. But most don't. Prevention is the key. In the South Florida area, there is an organization called the
Pet Aid League. I'm sure there are organizations like this in most major cities. They charge just $30 to make your pet sterile.
Sparkle was not at the
animal shelter. No one answered the ad in the paper. My neighbor said a cat was caught in his garage door the other night. It limped away before he could catch it. I've about given up
hope. Three days is a long time for a cat so near a major road. Three days is a long time for a cat so needy for love. My other two cats walk around looking
sullen and
detatched. They can't seem to find her either.